On the Precipice
by suspensegirl
Summary: Post 3x18 - Defending Serena's honor was as good an excuse as any. She had to see if he was carrying out with his nonverbal threat to sleep with the woman he'd hardly taken a second glance at before they'd broken up. CB o/s


A/N: CB late S3 angst was getting to me. Post 3x18, but the same night.

….

She'd overheard Jenny, and sadly for all parties involved, it was most likely that the bleach blonde rapunzel was right. Despite the circumstances of the night, Blair decided she would give her two cents to Nate about being too hard on Serena.

She didn't want to see Chuck. That was the last thing she wanted. She'd been a mess after the painful break-up. I hurt almost as much as what Chuck had done to her to begin with. He'd sold her out to Jack in exchange for The Empire. He'd treated her like property that he could just toss out an 'I love you' or an apology for and get right back. It wasn't right. It was horrible. It was crossing _so many_ lines, but so was her almost going through with the deal to sleep with Jack to begin with.

It was harsh how Chuck was countering her dancing with Dan by way of sex with a nameless prostitute.

Because it couldn't _possibly_ be for show. This was how he dealt with pain. With games and sex. It was all he knew, and it suddenly made sense then how his little agreement with Jack had taken place.

He probably thought he was calling her bluff. He knew how much she loved him, and that sleeping with the girl he hadn't taken a second glance at before, would hurt her. When she hurt, eventually she returned to him. He knew how she worked better than anyone else, but this time was different. This time they were over. For good.

The elevator bell dinged and there he sat on the couch, a half-full glass of scotch in one hand with the bottle sitting on the low table in front of him. He looked up when she stepped out and her heels clicked on the floor. His eyes widened and then narrowed, but she spoke first.

"Scared her away already, did you?" she sneered.

A moment later the bathroom door opened and out stepped the too tall vixen he'd walked out with. She was wrapped in one of Chuck's silk robes, her wet hair wrapped up in the towel Blair always used when she came over. It even had her name on it.

Blair's eyes narrowed, but the girl hadn't registered her yet.

"Chuck—oh." She stopped suddenly and turned to Blair. Then her eyes darted back to Chuck's in a panic. "Were you expecting someone? Should I go?"

He nearly rolled his eyes and Blair knew this was just for show. She thought, anyways.

"No to both," he said, standing to his feet. "Go to my bedroom. I'll be there in a few."

She smiled warily, hesitantly, but did as she was told. When she was gone, Blair turned back to him and watched, aghast almost at how nonchalant he was acting, slipping his hands into his pockets and waiting for her to speak.

"You gave her my towel?" She crossed her arms across her chest. "Really?" She raised an eyebrow.

He smirked. "You weren't going to be using it again."

She opened her mouth to speak and then closed it. Fury filled her gaze.

"I'll have you know that tomorrow I plan on putting together all the material remembrances of our memories in a box and throwing it out."

He raised his eyebrows. "Is that supposed to upset me?"

She huffed and looked around, aggravated. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Usually it took him a few days after their fights for him to truly become sarcastically nasty toward her. And since the fault was mostly his for how things had ended between them, she'd expected him to be a little more sympathetic to her cause. It was only more proof how wrong for each other they truly were.

"Where's Nate?" she demanded.

"Why? Running back to another old flame?"

She narrowed her eyes. "If you're going to antagonize me much longer, I might as well go back to Carter just to put you in your place."

For this time since she'd arrived he looked angry. His eyes were dark and dangerous, but he didn't say anything.

She sighed. "I'm here on Serena's behalf. I heard Jenny tell Nate some things about her whereabouts, and while they're most likely true, I thought I'd inform him that he should give her the benefit of the doubt and not just latch onto every little thing _innocent_ Jenny Humphrey might say to him. It's obvious she's crushing on him and not afraid to try to steal him from Serena."

"And this is your biggest concern tonight? Right now? Making sure Serena's relationship with Nate stays on track?" he asked doubtfully.

"It's a good distraction," she said.

"I know a better one," he said, his voice lowering as he closed the distance between them.

She took a step back and held him off. "Chuck." She breathed slowly, willing herself not to cry or lose her temper, or both. "No. You can't." She lifted her eyes to his hesitantly. "Not anymore."

He reeled in his emotions and took a step back.

"Right." He glanced down the hall to where his one-night stand awaited him. Then he turned back to Blair. "Well, Nate crashed as soon as he got back. Seems he had quite the time at Dorota and Vanya's wedding reception. Not that I can say the same for myself, but I did come home with a date, so at least I have something to show for it."

She forced a smile. "Right. Well, at least I can tell Serena I made a try for it." She turned toward the elevator.

"Blair…"

"Goodnight, Chuck," she intervened, silencing the weakness in her she felt when she heard his voice drowning in vulnerability. She pressed the elevator button and refused to face any other direction.

He came up behind her though and just stood there. He didn't reach out to touch her. He didn't say a word. But she could feel his breath on the skin of her neck and it gave her shivers. For all the heartbreak that had been between them tonight, he still had this effect on her. There was a magnetism between them that she knew she could never deny, even in their most heated arguments to come.

"Don't go," he said, so quietly she barely heard him. She wouldn't have if he'd been one step away from her.

She shook slightly with the chills his words gave her.

"I have to," she said, regrettably turning to face him and his brokenhearted eyes that plead with her to stay with him.

"You don't," he insisted, his voice all choked up. "You can stay."

She shook her head and her eyes closed, a single tear slipping down her cheek that he swiped away. She stilled and gasped quietly as he did it. He was still there, peering into her soul when she looked back up at him.

"Every time I look at you, I see someone who traded me in like a piece of property."

He gulped.

She shook her head and looked at him sadly. "How could I possibly stay with someone like that?"

"What can I do?" he choked. "Tell me how to fix this." He gently touched her elbow with his hand, subtly pulling her towards him. "Do you want me to get rid of The Empire? I'll do it." Even as he said it, he knew he wouldn't be able to, not right now, not after how badly he'd fought for it. It was everything to him, to keep his business profile high and to succeed in the world, to make his father proud when he'd never been anything but disappointed.

But Blair was everything to him too and even just a week without her in his bed had been too much for him. He longed for her. More than anything he longed to hear that she still loved him and that she had forgiven him.

"No," she said, looking helplessly at him. "It won't change the past. It would just be you appeasing me, trying to make up for what you did so I won't leave you, not because you actually want to do it."

"Of course I don't _want_ to," he said, almost on a scoff (or maybe a laugh?) "This hotel is all I have right now. I can't start from scratch again, Blair. I _can't_."

Her eyes filled with tears again but she forced a tiny, wavering smile.

"I know, Chuck."

The elevator doors opened and she stepped inside, slowly turning to face him, and he realized too late that he hadn't thought before he spoke just now and he'd lost her again.

"Goodnight," she said quietly, and then she was gone.

A few minutes later he still stood in front of the elevator. The nameless girl he'd sent to his room re-emerged and asked if he was coming any time soon.

He turned to face her, not finding one single attractive quality in her persona. She wasn't Blair.

"I'll make you a drink first. Then, you can leave."

The girl looked hopeful at first and then frowned, but he refused to give an explanation. The only reason for the drink was so that there would be enough time for Blair to leave the hotel and be on her way home before he sent what's-her-name away as well.

For tonight, he knew sex would not do the trick. Alcohol would have to do. _Tomorrow_ he'd pull out his little black book.

…

A/N: I guess this is more of a deleted/hidden scene to the episode. Heh. I really wanted them to reunite in this one, but even though I think the Jenny thing was blown out of proportion with Blair's long-term reaction to it, the hotel thing definitely wasn't, so I don't think I could've had her just forgive him instantly (even if it probably was a week after the incident). Plus, I really liked 3x18 in general and didn't want to toy with it too much. Heh. Please review, if you wish. =)


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